Canterbury Centennial

Although flax traders and whalers had earlier operated on the coast, the first permanent European settlement in Canterbury was a whaling station established by Captain George Hempleman in March 1837, at Peraki - an inlet on the southern coast of Banks Peninsula. A party of nine settlers, sent by a Sydney firm of millers, arrived in April 1840. They were the first Europeans to make a home on the Plains at what is now Riccarton. They left after eight months as their crop had been eaten by rats.

Issue information

On 17 August 1840 French settlers landed at Akaroa and founded the first town. A few years later farms at Purau, Riccarton, and Pigeon Bay were established and it was from here the establishment and extension of the province grew. The first settlers chosen by the Canterbury Association (formed in England) disembarked from the first four immigrant ships - 'Charlotte Jane', 'Sir John Seymour', 'Cressy' and 'Randolph', at Lyttelton in December 1850 and this date is recognised as that of the official founding of Canterbury. John Robert Godley had been placed in charge of the first colonists. These pioneers who chose to settle at Christchurch had to make a laborious trek over the hills separating Lyttelton and Christchurch by way of a rough track, which became known as the Bridle Path.

The 1d, 6d and 1s designs were completed by J Berry, the 2d by L C Mitchell and the 3d by J A Johnstone.